Musical instrument operated by air under control of perforated tune sheets



Patented Jan. 2, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REGINALD REYNOLDS, 0F BARNES, LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE AEOLIAN COMPANY LIMITED, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT OPERATED BY AIR UNDER CONTROL or PERFORATED TUNE SHEETS.

Application filed June 24, 1919. Serial No. 306,818.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, REGINALD REYNOLDS, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at 34 The Crescent, Barnes, London, S. \V., England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements Relating to Muslcal. Instruments Operated by Air Under Control of Perforated Tune Sheets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to musical instruments operated by exhaust or pressure atmosphere and perforated tune sheets, and has for its object to provide improvements in the mechanism used for accenting various notes or chords, melodies or passages of music.

In such instruments, the accenting or playing of certain melodies or passages with an increased force over that of the accom paniment is effected by an arrangement for governing the wind pressure or suction by means of a small governor bellows held by a spring in the reverse position to that which is produced by the suction or pressure. The said spring is adjustable, so that various tensions may be obtained, but in working it remains fixed at a given tension and is not controlled by the operator. The moving board of the governor bellows is attached on the inside to a valve covering an orifice which is in direct communication with the main wind supply. The action of the wind tends to close the governor bellows and will do so up to a point where the spring tension equalizes the wind pressure and consequently the wind pressure will be maintained at a value determined by the spring. This governor bellows is also provided with a valve and membrane to open same which allows the full force of the main wind to be eX-- erted while the valve is open. The perforations in the paper and through the tracker bar are designed to open and close this valve at specific times, so that the selected notes or passages are played with greater force than those which not influenced by the perforations and valves.

According to the present invention in addition to the above mentioned main accentuating valves there are provided pneumatically operated auxiliary accentuating valves designed to be opened and closed at other specific times (i. e., alternatively to the opening and closing of the main ac'centuating valves) by other perforations in the paper and other tracker bar ducts. The efiect of the opening of these auxiliary accentuating valves is adjustable so as to enable the degree of subordinate accentuation attainable thereby to be varied.

I find it necessary in practice for the best effects to arrange for accurate adjustment of the orifices controlled by these auxiliary accentuating valves to suit particular instruments and in order to secure uniformity between the performance of various instruments.

My invention therefore consists in the combination in musical instruments operated by exhaust or pressure and perforated tune sheets of a pneumatic action, an exhauster, an airway connecting said exhauster with said pneumatic action, a governing bellows chamber in said airway, a second airway in parallel with said first mentioned airway, a pneumatically operated valve in said second airway, a third airway coupled .in parallel with said second airway, a pneumatically operated valve in said third airway adapted for operation alternatively to the valve in said airway and adjustable means co-acting with said. third airway enabling the relative accentuating effect due to the said pneumatically operated valve in the latter to be adjusted.

Referring to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation; and Figure 2 is a part sectional plan of an arrangement according to one form of the present invention.

Figure 3 is a horizontal section taken on line A--A of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a detail of a tracker bar according to a modified form.v

F'gure 5 represents a sectional view taken on the line BB of Figure 1.

In carrying the invention into effect in one form by way of example where only two degrees of accented power are required, a box is attached. to the side of the governor bellows, provided with the necessary ducts of a suitable size controlled by valves and the actuating membranes, and ducts leading from the valves are provided with slides for reducing the size of these orifices to just the exact requirements. These orifices being of a smallerair-carrying capacity than the loud accenting orifices, the'result is that it is possible to obtain an absolute modification of accented power intermediary between the loud accents and the soft accompaniment, the latter being maintained as already explained by the governor bellows. 7

Such an arrangement shown in Figures- 1, and 3 in which the governor hello chest (4 is provided, as in known construetions, with a central air-x "ay provid d with ilapvalves a leading to the main suction pipe (Z (Figure 2) by way of the bellows chamber 333 orifice (opened and closed by the valve according to the motion of the bellows g, against the action of the tension spring 7L and chamber 30). The main suction pipe d is connected with chamber 3 which is in open communication with chamber 30. There are also provided known tapered orilices 7c controlled by slides j operated by rods 2', such giving a soft control by varyingthe acting size of the apertures is leading to the mainsuction from the bellows. Again as is known, ordinary main accentuating means are provided comprising orifices Z of lined aperture governed by valves m. The orifices and valves to the right oi? thecentral passage 2) deal with the treble and those to the left with the bass, The valves m are raised and lowered by pneumatic cushions it worked from primary valves 0 through pneumatic tubes 71, these valves 0 themselves being actuated by way of cushions g operated by air supplied through tubes r under the control of orifices t in the tracker bar a.

In the ordinary course'of events during playing of a piece suction is applied continuously at d, thus subjecting the chamber 30 (Figure 1) beneath the apertures 70 to its effect. Air may pass into the inlet pipes 20 past the flap valves 0, down the central airway 6 and through the orifice c and so to pipe (Z, provided 0 be not closed entirely by the valve f. The exhauster is thus placed in communication with the action under the prevailing suction determined by the setting of the governing bellows. increase 01 suction in the action is attainable by openingthe tapered orifices is. When the main ac centuating valves or are depressed by the opening of the appropriate tracker bar ducts the suction to which the action is subject is increased greatly by the opening of the ducts Z to establish a communication independent of the governing bellows.

A, parallel path alternative to that through the ducts Z is provided, through ducts 32,2 and 31 under control of the manually adjustable slide valves 3 when the auxiliary accentuating valves are depressed.

This invention is applied in one way to such an arrangement by the provision of a box 1 at each side of the aforesaid box a, the boxesl containing orifices 2 the acting aperture if which can be plungers 3 externally opera rods 4%. The opening and fices are governec v from pneumatic cushions mary valves 7 by "way of ti I 8. The primary valves "I raised and ered by pneumatic cushions 9 supplied by wa or the leads 10. This is cite it ed in the t shown. in Figur -s 1, and by the provision oil a special ii: of holes ill on the tracher bar l therefore a certain amount or l i a sub or secon a; theme it these holes ll (Oi J sha /Vhen this Cal-res the inlet pipes to 5 .pc way o1 orifices 31, oriiice (the valves 5 being dc; pressed explained below), orifice S32 and c iamber alternatively to passing through the ducts Z, the other paths mentioned above being unaffected. It conseque itial accer uationf injlerior in mag iitnde 1 that at nable by the main accentua ducts is thus a hievid, and is regulable in degree according to the setting of the plung ers 8. y

The depression of the valves 5 to effect the subordinate accentuation alternatively to the main accentuation is controlled by the registerii'ig oil the duct 11 with a perroration in the tune sheet in the following manner.

Normally the valves 7 occupy the position which they occupy in Figure l, i. e., a position such that the upper ends of the pipes S are open to the atmosphere. Thu since the chamber 30 is to main suction, the pneun'iatic cushions G raised and tie valves 5 raised. Vhen is admitted to the pipes 10, however, the er n applied through the pipe l causes the lves g to be raised, thus in addn' upper on mice verinp ends of pipes 23 tothe influence of this suction.

s from quent d1. pping r :he two valves 5.

In many tracker bars of: existing instruments there are wide orifices tie HlIGlll'c ones of the tracker bar for the ordinary main accenting mechanism and two holes are punched in the tune sheet, both 01' which however lead into the one orifice in the tracker bar. @ne peritoration in the tune sheet, therefore, is quite sufficient; so that in order to apply this invention to these instruments it only necessary to divide these wide orifices into two and then arrange for either the outer or inner pen torations in the tune sheet to operate either the loud accenting device or the improved graduated subordinate accenting device to produce the additional musical eilects, and

to apply the valve mechanism to the existing governing bellows 111 the instrument.

ion valves and.-

A modification of this kind is shown in. 1 icrein the two holes l3 and l4:

l igurs -l cccu the place of a similar single hole or area equal. to the area those two.

of applycntion, in the case of eight eight note instruments it may be more coni'enlent to provide extra apertures 1n the tracker bar, as in the form shown in Figure l. and

corresponding additional marginal the ordinary main accentuation .l ..hicb method would be necessary in the case of sixty-five note players, if applied to standard scale music, as there is now no available margin upon the SlXt-}l*-fiYG note music roll.

It will be understood that it is preferred to arrange the main accentuation orifices so that their effective areas can be conveniently varied either to suit a particular instrun'ient or during performance to suit needs of the counqosition. VVhether these holes are variable or not it is found desirable in practice for the best effects to arrange for accurate adjustment of the subordinate orifices and any further orifices of this kind to obtain such an area with relation to that of the orifices e and Z that a suitable intermediate degree of tone accentuation is secured.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In musical instruments operated by air, under control of perforated tune sheets. the combination of a pneumatic action duct, an exhauster duct, an air-way connecting said exhaustcr duct with said pneumatic action duct, a governing bellows chamber in said air-way, a second air-way through said governing bellows chamber. in parallel with said first mentioned air-way, and connect lug said exlrauster duct with said pneumatic action duct, a pneumatically operated valve in said second airway, a third air-way coupled in parallel with said second air-way, and connecting said exhauster duct with said pneumatic action duct. a pneumatically operated valve in said third air-way adapted for operation alternatively to the valve in said. second air-way. and. adjustable means coacting 'YVliiljl said third air-way, enabling the relative accentuating effect due to said pneumatically operated valve in the latter to be adjusted.

2. In musical instruments operated by air, under control of perforated tune sheets. the combiu tion of a pneumatic action duct, an exnauster duct, an air-way connecting said exhauster duct with said pneumatic action duct, a governing bellows chamber in said airw'flw. said gl'twcrnnu" lie 1 parallel with d lirr-stmentioue said exhuister duct witin said nd air-way, a tl'iird air-way coupled in parallel u 1th said second air-way,

connect exhauster duct with pneumatic action duct, a pneumatically operated v l-.e in said third way adapted for operation alternatively '1 the valve in said second air-way, a fourth airway in parallel with the said second airway, connecting said @Cllilllstfil duct with said pneumatic action tract, and a manually operable valve in said fourth air-way.

In musical instruments operated by air, under control of perforated tune sheets, the combination of a pneumatic action. duct, an exhauster duct, an air-way connecting said exhauster duct with said pneumatic action. duct, a governing bellows chamber in said air-way, a second air-way through said governing bellows chamber, in parallel. with said. first mentioned air-way and connecting said exhauster duct with said pneumatic action duct. a pneumatically operated valve in said second air-way, a third airway coupled in parallel with said second air-way, and connecting said exhauster duct with said pneumatic action duct, a pneumatically operated valve in said third airway adapted for operation alternatively to the valve in said second air-way, and a hand-operated slide valve controlling said third air-way.

4. In musical instruments operated. by air under control of perforated tune sheets, the combination of a pneumatic action, an exhauster, a governing bellows chamber, an airway through said governing bellows chamber, a second airway in said governing bellows chamber in parallel with said first airway, a pneumatically operated valve in said second airway, an auxiliary chamber in connection with said governing bellows chamber, a separating partition in said auxiliary chamber, an airway connecting said auxiliary chamber with said governing bellows chamber disposed on one side of said partition, another airway communieating between said auxiliary chamber and said governing bellows chamber and disposed on the other side of said partition, an aperture in said partition, a pneumaticaly operated valve adapted to open or to close said aperture, and manually adjustable means operable to control said aperture.

5. In musical instruments operated by air under control of perforated tune sheets, the combination of a pneumatic action, an exhauster, an airway connecting said exhauster with said pneumatic action, a gov-- ernin bellows chamber in said airway, a second airway in parallel with said first a pneumatically operated. valve mentioned aimmy, a pneunmtically opev we :11 smv second. airway, a sepairway coupled 121 pmaliel wltl'l 521d second airway a pneumatically open uted e 111 SLlCi thlrcl mummy operated a1 ernatively to the valve in second airway ad ustable means co-actlng Wfsh said 11111 a m-W113, enabhng the relative accentua'tl'g effect due to the said pneumatically eper- 10 LL-ted valve in the lat-tel" to be Varied a u '1 1 A bl 40.1 111 will; d.

opening of w. pneumatlcaily operated valve in the s and another open-131g theree'ii comnmnicatin with said mlemna bicallv User- 15 ated Valve in the third airway.

In testimony whereof have slgned my name to $1115 speclficzztlon. 

